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UCAS Password Expiration Reminder

All UCAR staffers have a UCAS (UCAR Common Authentication System) Password, used for access to the Time Card application and other resources. As of August 1, 2011, these passwords will have limited lifetimes; after this date, all users will be required to change them at least every 180 days.

Why will passwords expire after 180 days? This is a computer security best practice which limits the amount of time any stolen or guessed password can be used for access to UCAR resources.How will you know your password is expiring? There are multiple ways of finding out. You will be notified by e-mail at least two weeks before your password expires, with a followup a week later if necessary. The underlying technology of UCAS Passwords is called Kerberos, and if you use your Kerberos credentials for access to the CISL HPSS (High-Performance Storage System) archive, you may already be regularly notified of your password's lifetime. Also, web sites that you log into with your UCAS Password can inform you if the password is expired, and the Web Engineering Group is developing a way for them to inform you of your password's remaining lifetime.How can you change your UCAS Password? The various divisions, programs, and groups at UCAR have implemented different mechanisms for managing UCAS Passwords. Please consult with your local system support staff to learn the best way for you to manage your UCAS Password. If you are not familiar with your local system support staff, please check here for links: https://www2.cisl.ucar.edu/dsg/local-system-support-ucar. If no other method works for you, you may change your UCAS Password at https://kpasswd.ucar.edu.If you have questions about UCAS Password expiration, please contact Mark Bradford at mark@ucar.edu; any frequently asked questions will be addressed in the next edition of this article.